Jacobs leads power play

Hermida's return helps spark rout

April 10, 2008|By Juan C. Rodriguez Staff Writer

WASHINGTON — When Jeremy Hermida said before Wednesday's game he wanted to make up for lost time, he probably wasn't referring to his error total. Yet on his first chance in the second inning, Hermida, who in 2007 led all right fielders with nine miscues, dropped a ball that led to an unearned run.

By game's end, it was clear what Hermida meant.

Making his 2008 debut after missing the first seven games rehabbing a hamstring injury, Hermida hit two doubles and knocked in two runs as part of a 10-4 victory over the Nationals. Mike Jacobs, who slid down to the five-hole to accommodate Hermida in the three-spot, deposited two balls into the Nationals' bullpen in right for his second two-homer game and first since Aug. 24, 2005 as a member of the Mets.

The double-digit run total in back-to-back games secured a second consecutive series win for the Marlins.

Starter Scott Olsen complemented the 12-hit barrage with 7 2/3 innings, allowing three earned runs on four hits. The career-high 120-pitch effort produced his first victory of the season and improved his record against the Nationals to 4-3 in nine starts.

Olsen retired the side in order in the first and at one point set down 12 of 13. He had not gone this far in a game since completing eight innings April 25, 2007 at Atlanta.

"Run support is always much appreciated," Olsen said. "I'm just trying to get deep into games any way I can. They have thick grass here in the infield. The more they beat it into the ground, the better for us."

For the second straight game, the Marlins hit three homers. In addition to Jacobs' two, Jorge Cantu ignited a seven-run fifth off Jason Bergmann with a first-pitch homer to left.

Jacobs hit his first of the night later that inning and the Marlins also got two-run doubles from Hermida and Dan Uggla. Bergmann intentionally walked Hanley Ramirez to load the bases for Uggla, who drove a 1-2 pitch to left-center.

"I'm going to do it every day if I have to," Nationals manager Manny Acta said of the intentional walk. "I just fear Hanley Ramirez, and I feel everyone else should."

Two innings later, the Nationals opted to pitch to Ramirez with two outs and a base open, and Ramirez lined an RBI-single to center off Joel Hanrahan.

Bergmann has given up four homers in 10 at-bats against Jacobs, who last week hit a walk-off homer and a grand slam on successive nights against the Pirates.

In an effort to stay inside the ball better, Jacobs used Ramirez's bat during batting practice because it's an inch and a half shorter.

"I haven't been swinging the bat that good," Jacobs said. "The two big home runs [last week], make it look like more than I've really done. ... I know I've hit [Bergmann] pretty well in the past. Sometimes you just see guys good. It's not that I've picked up anything off him. Just a good night."

Hermida had the makings of a forgettable night after dropping a fly ball. He didn't hear center fielder Alfredo Amezaga call for it, and then the ball hung up in the lights.

"Definitely not how I wrote it out," he said, adding his performance at the plate and running catch against the wall on a well-struck Felipe Lopez liner in the fourth made up for it.

"That definitely helps a little bit."

The Nationals have lost six in a row since starting the season 3-0 and four in a row to the Marlins dating to last season.